New bracero program is not the answer

Today, July 26, the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee is holding a
hearing on proposals for comprehensive immigration reform. The voices
of hardworking immigrants living in the shadows of our society need to
be heard.

Our broken immigration system needs fixing. But as the immigration
debate continues, we must let lawmakers and President Bush know we will
not accept harsh and unrealistic proposals.

One such plan is the "Comprehensive Enforcement and Immigration
Reform Act" introduced last week by Sens. John Cornyn (R-Tx.) and Jon
Kyl (R-Az.). This bill would create a new unlimited guestworker program
with no chance for workers to earn the right to stay in the country. It
would also require that undocumented immigrants already working and
living here leave after five years of the law’s enactment. This bill
would further separate families and divide our country.

We need real, bipartisan and comprehensive solutions that include the
following principles: A path to hard-earned legalization for
undocumented immigrants already contributing to this country;
reunification of families; and protections for workers in this nation.

The AgJobs bill (S. 359, H.R. 884) sponsored by the United Farm
Workers has all of these components. It would allow undocumented farm
workers to earn the right to permanently stay in this country by
continuing to work in agriculture. With broad bipartisan support, it is
a comprehensive bill negotiated by the UFW and the nation’s
agricultural industry. It is the only viable bipartisan immigration
reform solution for the agricultural industry.

Contact President Bush and your congressmembers today. Let them
know measures such as the Cornyn-Kyl bill are harmful to this country.
Tell them they should enact AgJobs and other bi-partisan comprehensive
immigration reform bills that include our principles.